Music is a very diverse genre. Though it has been around for over 40,000 years, it continues to change. Over the past 100 years it has changed drastically from classical in the 1920s to rap in 2020.
In the 1920s, the most famous song was Al Jolson’s “Swanee,” which came out early that decade. But just twenty-nine years later, the most famous song was “White Christmas” by Bing Crosby. In less than thirty years, music shifted dramatically. But in even more recent years, jazz has become less mainstream. In the 2000s, the most streamed song in 2004 was an indie/alternative track from The Killers called “Mr. Brightside”. In the 2010s, the most popular song was Mark Ronson’s “Uptown Funk” with Bruno Mars.
This new vast musical diversity is due to many artists exploring their creativity and making progressive art. This progressiveness in the music industry is even a motive for entire genres such as progressive rock, more popularly known as prog rock.
McDowell students Elliot Miller and Adam Kanterman both have a personal connection to music, but the music they choose to enjoy differs. Miller says one of his favorite music artists is Slipknot, a popular groove metal band. But Kanterman says his favorite is alternative hip-hop artist, Macklemore.
People who listen and appreciate music often also participate in the artform, commonly playing instruments or even singing. Miller has been singing since he was in fourth grade. “I did it because not only is music a way for me to express myself, it also just gives me something to do. And it lets me challenge my own vocal cords and also sees how loud I can shout,” Miller said.
Kanterman channels his passion for music by playing the trombone. “I wanted to be part of an extracurricular class. And my brother was a drum major, but I didn’t really feel drums in my calling. And I like the uniqueness of the trombone, as the trombone is the only instrument that does not use treble clef. It uses bass clef instead. So I stuck with it. It always got me out of wood shop and study hall,” Kanterman adds humorously.
As the music scene continues to shift, so do people’s varying opinions on older music. Some people love the early 1900s while some gravitate more towards the late 1900s.
“I would say the ‘90s to 2000s eras of rock and grunge because that largely influenced not only is it what I mostly listened to, but it also largely influenced a lot of 2010s rock creators like I Prevail,” Miller said. He goes on to give examples of more artists that were influenced by the 2000s.
Kanterman has a different opinion on the topic. He likes older music and feels more intrigued with music from the 20th century because he enjoys music from the ‘50s, ‘70s and ‘80s.
With how expansive the music industry is, it feels daunting to find new music to listen to. Listeners often lean towards their family and friends to influence their music taste. But you don’t have to know someone to find a new sound you like.
Miller said his influence came from his “dad, mostly. I also found some underground creators that I’ll listen to.” Exploring less mainstream artists, also known as underground artists, is a great way to find new music and support smaller artists.
